Solar Energy
Energy Savings Assistance Program Working Group Meeting Scheduled
Energy Savings Assistance Program Working Group Meeting Scheduled
by Brad Bartz
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 15, 2024
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has announced a forthcoming Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Working Group meeting set for May 30, 2024. The session, critical for shaping future energy conservation strategies in California, will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams, accommodating stakeholders statewide.
The meeting, scheduled from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, is designed to facilitate discussions on several key initiatives and updates within the ESA program. These initiatives aim at enhancing energy efficiency and accessibility for low-income Californians, aligning with the state’s broader goals of environmental sustainability and equitable access to clean energy resources.
Key Agenda Points
Safety Message and Ground Rules: The session will begin with essential safety protocols and guidelines to ensure effective communication throughout the meeting.
Introductions for Members: New and existing members will be introduced, fostering a collaborative environment.
Quick Updates: Updates will cover various subcommittees and projects including the Clean Energy Workshop Subcommittee, PP&IS SWG, and the Concurrent Application System (CAS) Project.
Public Comments: A segment dedicated to public insights and feedback, highlighting the CPUC’s commitment to transparency and community engagement.
Detailed Discussions: The meeting will delve into specific topics such as the Health Comfort and Safety (HCS) protocols, co-presented by representatives from SoCalGas and SCE, and the Mid-Cycle Report Update.
Stakeholders are encouraged to review the meeting materials beforehand, which will be made available on the CPUC’s public document area. This proactive engagement is crucial for informed participation and effective advocacy during the discussions.
Public Participation and Accessibility
Participants can join the meeting through the provided Microsoft Teams link or dial in using the provided phone numbers. For those unable to attend, the possibility of a recorded session is mentioned, contingent on the presenter’s discretion to enable recording. Public comments, questions, or suggestions related to the ESA Working Group can be submitted via an online form, ensuring all voices have the opportunity to be heard.
This meeting underscores the CPUC’s ongoing efforts to integrate community feedback into the regulatory framework governing California’s energy policies. It is a vital platform for discussing advancements and challenges in energy savings assistance, directly impacting the effectiveness of programs designed to support the state’s most vulnerable populations.
Bradley Bartz, founder of ABC Solar Incorporated, continuously monitors CPUC activities to keep the solar community informed and engaged. His “Today at the CPUC” updates provide essential insights into the regulatory landscape, helping stakeholders understand and influence developments in California’s energy sector.
For more information, visit The Solar Bible GPT by Bradley Bartz.
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DGIST enhances quantum dot solar cell performance
by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
A research team led by Professor Jongmin Choi from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST, in collaboration with Gyeongsang National University’s Professor Tae Kyung Lee and Kookmin University’s Professor Younghoon Kim, has developed a new method that significantly boosts the performance and longevity of perovskite quantum dot solar cells. Their innovative approach addresses a key issue: surface distortions on quantum dots that hinder solar cell efficiency.
Perovskite quantum dots are widely regarded as essential for next-generation solar cells due to their high light-to-electricity conversion efficiency and scalability. However, the process of replacing the “ligands” on their surface often causes distortions, akin to crumpled paper, that degrade solar cell performance.
The research team tackled this problem by introducing short ligands that firmly grip both sides of the quantum dots. This method effectively restores the quantum dot’s distorted surface, resembling the process of flattening crumpled paper. By smoothing the surface, they significantly reduced defects and improved both the performance and the stability of the solar cells. The power conversion efficiency rose from 13.6% to 15.3%, and the cells maintained 83% of their performance over 15 days, marking a major advancement in solar cell technology.
“Through this research, we could minimize surface defects on the quantum dots and stabilize their surfaces by newly adopting these amphiphilic ligands, thereby significantly improving the efficiency and stability of the solar cells,” explained Professor Jongmin Choi. He also noted the team’s intention to extend this approach to other photoelectric devices in the future.
This study, a collaborative effort by DGIST, Gyeongsang National University, and Kookmin University, was supported by the National Research Council of Science and Technology, the DGIST R and D Program, and the New Faculty Research Foundation at Gyeongsang National University. The findings were published in the ‘Chemical Engineering Journal’ on September 15, 2024.
Research Report:Multifaceted anchoring ligands for uniform orientation and enhanced cubic-phase stability of perovskite quantum dots
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Philippines’ Marcos opens first EV battery plant
by AFP Staff Writers
Manila (AFP) Sept 30, 2024
President Ferdinand Marcos inaugurated on Monday the first factory for electric vehicle batteries in the Philippines, calling it the “future” of clean energy.
The Australian-owned lithium-iron-phosphate factory aims to produce two gigawatt-hours of batteries per year by 2030, powering about 18,000 electric vehicles or nearly half a million home battery systems.
“We have worked very hard and tried to do our best to bring this kind of technology to the Philippines with a clear recognition that this is the future,” Marcos said in a livestreamed speech.
“As the first manufacturing plant in the Philippines for advanced iron phosphate batteries… (it) sets the stage for the Philippines to become a player in clean energy storage in our part of the world.”
Located in New Clark city north of Manila, the StB Giga Factory Inc. facility will create 2,500 local jobs and channel five billion pesos ($89.2 million) into the economy each year, Marcos said.
The investment aligns with the government’s efforts to “transition our country to renewable energy”, and would help Manila “entice more investors in renewable energy facilities in the country”, he added.
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Fire breaks out at Chinese battery giant CATL plant
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Sept 29, 2024
A fire broke out Sunday at a factory belonging to Chinese battery giant CATL, which supplies electric vehicle makers including Tesla, but only a “relatively small” impact on operations is expected, the company said.
A CATL spokesperson said no injuries or casualties had occurred at the plant in the coastal city of Ningde, and that “the reasons behind this accident are still under investigation”.
Emergency services were sent to the plant to fight the fire and to organise the evacuation of any people who were inside the 15,000 square metre (160,000 square feet) site, a statement by the Dongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone said.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze just before 11:30 AM local time (0330 GMT).
It was not immediately clear what was produced at the plant, CATL’s base in the eastern province of Fujian, but the company said the effect of the now extinguished fire would not be significant.
“The impact to CATL’s overall production operation is relatively small,” the spokesperson said.
Videos published by the Chinese business media outlet Cailianshe, and posted on the Weibo social network, showed parts of a large white building in flames with thick gray smoke rising into the air.
AFP could not immediately verify the authenticity of the images.
CATL was founded in 2011 and produces more than a third of the electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide for automakers that include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai.
ehl-reb/des
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